Dance with the Shinigami
by TheMysticalFett
Summary: When there is no other option, some shinobi choose to dance with their ancient and inexorable foe. A Konoha shinobi has decided in the Land of Rivers that it is his time to perform his last dance, the dance with the Shinigami. Let it begin.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto yada yada yada.**

**Dance with the Shinigami**

Rock Lee had known he was out of time when he had first felt the kunai riddle his abdomen. Neji's dark look as he had cradled an unconscious Tenten merely confirmed what Rock Lee already knew. There was no medic, no Tsunade-sama to fix him up after this one. Drawing in a pained breath, the Handsome Devil of Konoha decided on his course of action.

He wasn't coming home this mission. Deep in his mind he had always known that this day would come no matter how hard he trained. Despite his flamboyant personality, he had taken measures to ensure that when the Shinigami came for him, he would die in a way any shinobi could be proud of.

Turning to Neji, he locked eyes with the Hyuuga. "Get her home."

Opening his mouth to protest, to deny what Lee was implying, Neji stopped when he saw what his always determined teammate was pulling from a chest pouch on his chuunin vest. A small black box, tied shut with the training bandages Lee was never without. The Hyuuga was floored with the realization of how much his teammate was giving up. With that momentous occasion to look forward to Lee still sacrificed his personal life for the wellbeing of his friends.

"Make sure my wildflower gets this, and tell her that my youthfulness with always be with her." Handing the keepsake to his eternal rival Lee turned to stare out of the dusty cave into a radiant sunset. "I'll give you five minutes before I head back towards Tanigakure, after that I'll be running with Gates on so you will want to be most youthful in your escape."

Pale face setting in a frown, Neji tried to talk him out of pulling a typical foolish Lee stunt. "This isn't your fate Lee-"

"You're right Neji. It's my choice as a Konoha shinobi. A respectable shinobi"

Walking slowly from the cave mouth Lee bent over Tenten's cradled form and laid a final, tender kiss on her closed lips. Face set in a sorrow filled mask, Lee addressed his rival of over 7 years. "Tell Gai-sensei I died a splendid ninja. My nindo will have been fulfilled."

Panting slowly from the pain emanating from his punctured stomach, Rock Lee watched Neji carry Tenten to the entrance. Just as the pale-eyed shinobi was about to perform the Shunshin no Jutsu, Lee called out to him one last time. "Whenever you catch up to me, we are going to have a most youthful battle to determine once and for all if effort can beat a genius. Till then I will destroy all our foes, and if cannot do that I will claw my way back from the dead using one hand. Then I will try again."

Eyes brimming with tears at his teammate's characteristic enthusiasm even while sentencing himself to a suicide mission, Neji Hyuuga silently vowed that he would always protect Tenten for Lee's sake. Voice choked with emotion, he turned away from Lee so the other did not see the tears running down his cheeks. "You have always been a worthy opponent Lee. Thank you…thank you for never giving up. I…I will never have another riv…friend such as you."

Unable to continue he performed the necessary seals and teleported away in a small swirl of dust. Silence weighed down in the now nearly empty cave, broken only by Lee's pained breathing. Leaning against a stone wall for support, Lee thought back to that day, the day Tenten finally realized his secret.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"She doesn't like you, Lee."

Sighing from within the deep crater the Hokage's apprentice had put him in; Lee decided that enough was simply enough. After three years of silence it was long past time to try and hint at his motives. Laying his head down on the fractured ground, he called out to Tenten.

"For such youthful fellow shinobi, only Gai-sensei has ever figured out my secret. All the others have failed to look beneath the underneath."

Puzzled at this cryptic side of the normally straightforward Lee, Tenten furrowed her eyebrows and tried to think how Lee, LEE, could have a secret. The energetic taijutsu master thought that him having no skill at chakra a "secret". Come to think of it, she had never thought of Lee having any sort of secret.

"I don't quite understand, Lee."

"Why would I always pursue a woman who has already spurned my advances multiple times? Who with each subsequent proclamation, denies me with increasing strength?"

Now utterly confused at both the question posed by Lee, and this bizarre new facet of him, Tenten raced through anything that made sense. However, the more she thought about it, the less sense it made. Lee was so without subtlety it was painful, and the thought of Lee being devious at all made as much sense as Naruto giving up ramen for good.

"I…I really don't have a clue Lee."

A rueful smile playing about his dusty lips, the Handsome Devil of Konoha levered himself out the pit. "Because at the end of the day, I'm simply youthful, oblivious Lee. Always spazzing out, issuing silly challenges, and raving on about youthfulness. That is all I seem to be is it not Tenten? There is no way I could be capable of subtlety or youthful intimacy."

To say Tenten was shocked would be an understatement. Lee didn't act like this, EVER. With a sudden realization she knew what had happened. Lee had been replaced by henged nin who wanted to infiltrate Konoha. That explained the sudden shift in behavior exactly. Hand snaking forward, she sent a kunai blurring directly toward the imposter's face. With a speed that should have been impossible, the man who had stolen Lee's face dodged out of its path but not fast enough to escape entirely.

Red drops of blood dripped down his cheek to splatter onto the dusty ground below. Grinning like a maniac, Lee turned back to Tenten. "Yes Tenten, I'm not someone henged into Lee. Go ahead and see if this is a genjutsu. While you do that I will start on a thousand butterfly kicks."

Utterly bewildered by the turn of events, Tenten hastily formed the seal and mumbled out what she hoped would end this bizarre turn of events. "Kai."

As if the universe was taunting her, reality went on. Lee kept doing exercises, the wind still ran through the tree leaves, and a bright sun continued its proscribed path across the sky. So if Lee wasn't an imposter, and she was never in a genjutsu, that meant…

"Lee…but…how…Since when did you have a secret side?"

"Who ever said I got one lately? It is simply part of my youthful personality."

Eyes widening at the implication, Konoha's premier weapons mistress sat down as an embarrassed blush crept up her cheeks. If Lee had a secret side like this, then that meant from day one he had fooled EVERYONE except Gai-sensei. What did that mean about his repetitive proclamations of undying love to Sakura, and lately Ino, though? It would be like he had been covering up for something…

Noting the dazed look hit her again, Lee decided that he had done enough mental trauma to his beautiful teammate for one day. "I think you need to go to the hospital Tenten. You are looking decidedly unwell."

Mumbling incoherently, Tenten simply stared up at Lee. "You…how…when…?"

Plastering a trademark grin across his face, the Green Beast of Konoha simply scooped up the bewildered weapon's mistress before sprinting towards the hospital. Knowing she had at least partially guessed his secret he decided to enlighten her just a bit more.

"5th mission. The one in Waterfall country."

"What about that one?"

"I saw you singlehandedly take down thirteen enemy shinobi, save three villagers from horrible fates, and treat a young girl with such compassion that my heart forced me to burst into manly tears."

"I remember you bursting into tears, and bawling so hard that I was forced to knock out two samurai who wanted to mince you over you commenting on how they need to work on their exercise."

"Yes I remember that. In case I haven't said so before, thank you Tenten for keeping me alive."

"Someone had to be the levelheaded one. Neji was so busy ranting about fate he was oblivious, and Gai was wrapped up with that missing nin. And for the 74th time, YOU'RE WELCOME!"

"Such youthful aggression cannot be healthy Tenten. It appears I was correct to bring you to the hospital after all."

Suddenly realizing that she was being carried through Konoha's streets by LEE, towards the hospital no less, Tenten flushed with embarrassment and more than a little bit of irritation. "You can put me down now."

Setting her on her feet, Lee leaned next to ear and spoke in a volume never heard from him. "Ah, youthful as always Tenten."

Blushing furiously, and completely confused by how Lee of all people was making her feel like a schoolyard girl again, she hurriedly looked away from his now dancing eyes.

Chuckling softly, Lee continued on, now at a respectable distance. "Anyways, that was the day I started having a secret. Gai guessed what it was just before the Chuunin Exams and counseled me about it. He was the one who suggested finding someone to distract everyone from the truth."

"So for 3 years you've put on an act to keep a secret." Thoroughly intrigued by this new side of Lee that apparently wasn't so new after all, Tenten waited to hear what he had to say.

"Correct Tenten."

"That had to require obscene determination and dedication. Oh." Feeling the sudden urge to palm herself in the face as they strode into Konoha General Hospital, Tenten ran through the picture he had presented her of a Lee declaring his undying love to women he knew wouldn't accept simply to keep a secret. That would imply he was trying to keep up an act for people who saw him on a regular basis. The only ones who did that were Neji, Gai-sensei, and …

Yet again her mind nearly shut down at the implications. That meant for the last 3 years he had kept up a crush, keeping silent because he knew who she had liked at the time. Every day acting the part of the energetic doofus to make sure the object of his affections remained oblivious. Even for being as dedicated as he was renowned for being, this was nothing short of awe-inspiring.

Before she could question Lee on the revelation, his booming voice broke through her thoughts. "SAKURA-CHAN! Tenten requires your skilled ministrations!"

Turning to protest at his fraudulent declaration, Tenten caught sight of him in his classic "Nice Guy" pose. Had she not heard what he said earlier, she would have never suspected him…liking her.

"Lee-san, you need to keep it down in here." Eyebrow twitching madly, Sakura pointed at a nearby window overlooking the village. "Next time I tell you, you're going through that window."

Looking thoroughly chastened, Lee hung his head for a moment before popping straight up. "In penance I will sprint around Konoha 30 times, and if I cannot do that I shall climb the Hokage monument using only my pinkie fingers, and if I cannot do that I will perform 7000 squats. Now if you will excuse me, I must get started."

Turning around he dashed towards the entrance, unleashing a mighty "YOSH!" as he ran out the main doors.

"I swear, I'm going to break all of his leg bones JUST so I can leave him in a hospital room to where I can have a day's peace." Pink hair swinging as Sakura shook her head. "So what was wrong with you?"

Shooting a wistful smile to the Hokage's apprentice, Tenten looked at Lee's swiftly disappearing form. "Simply shocked at a tidbit I learned. Simply shocked."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Shaking free from his reverie, Lee knew it was time. Pulling his hitai'ite from around his waist, he tied his hair back with the cloth for the first time. Standing in the center of the cave that had been their designated hideout while on the mission in River Country, Rock Lee prepared for his final dance with death. Snapping loose his ever present training weights, he then crossed his arms in an x shape, concentrating past the pain to access his gates.

"Gate of Opening, OPEN!"

He was going to miss training with Gai-sensei all day.

"Gate of Rest, OPEN!"

Tenten's incredibly silky hair would never run through his fingers again.

"Gate of Life, OPEN!"

His duel with Neji to prove that hard work and effort could defeat genius would never happen in this life.

"Gate of Pain, OPEN!"

He was going to die, but he felt strangely content. The Shinigami would become very busy before he was able to reap Lee.

"Gate of Closing, OPEN!"

Power was now rippling out of the cave mouth from Lee's release. Stepping to the cave mouth Lee ran through his plan one more time. He would save the last three gates for his final moments, to effectively put them to full use. Now however, he had an appointment to keep in Tanigakure.

Rock fissured under the massive pressure put upon it as Lee burst off towards Konoha's newest foe. Trailing his racing figure a tremendous plume of dust rose in the evening air, thrown up by his sheer speed. Any shinobi within miles could tell something was headed in Tanigakure's direction, and getting there damn fast.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Kawakage-sama!"

Nakai Taniki, Sandaime Kawakage of Tanigakure, looked up from his desk which was overflowing with papers and several empty tea cups. This late in the day most people were already at home save vital staff and the guards. Despite plotting against Konoha (a local tradition dating back to River Country's subjugation during the Second Shinobi War), Tanigakure had always been a lush, peaceful village. With three rivers less than four miles from their imposing gates that simultaneously provided a crucial defensive option while keeping everything green year round, Tanigakure was a prosperous second tier ninja village.

A trio of Leaf shinobi had managed to thoroughly destroy that peace when they were caught breaking into the Kawakage's building. Despite being cornered by several Tani jounin the intruders had escaped the village, taking with them several documents better left out of the light of day. Several squads of hunter nin had been dispatched to eliminate the opposing shinobi and recover the evidence of Tanigakure's transgressions.

Breaking into the Kawakage's office at a dead sprint, Jin, a Tani Chuunin, snapped off a hasty salute. "Kawakage-sama, an individual is approaching the valley mouth from the east. The only reason we know something is coming is the trail of debris their path is kicking up."

"Did any of the hunter nin try and take it down?"

Swallowing nervously, Jin shared more information. "We were communicating via headset with the foremost hunter nin squad. They were in pursuit of the enemy shinobi, and were keeping us updated. They've been silent for over twenty minutes now.

Frowning at troubling news, Taniki turned back to the winded chuunin. "Order the gates shut, and put the village on alert."

Bowing deeply, Jin turned and rushed back out of Taniki's office. He had his standing orders.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Lee shook his glowing arm, trying his best to ignore the burning agony coursing through his body. The hunter nin he knew were following since the morning had been crossing one of River Country's many streams when Rock Lee noticed them. Not giving them any time to react he had simply clotheslined the entire squad as he raced by, breaking every neck with the awful force of his passage.

Leaving the enemy shinobi strewn about like trash, Lee sprinted back the path they had fled earlier that day. As the exhaustion mounted Lee knew it time to ratchet up his power. Arms straight out behind him as he dashed over streams and under fallen logs, he concentrated on the gate in his stomach. Gritting his teeth at the sensation of his muscles slowly disintegrating under the strain of flinging his body forward faster than a kunai, he opened the sixth gate.

"Gate of Joy, OPEN!"

The river he was sprinting across instantly flung the surrounding water up around him in a swirling vortex in reaction to the unadulterated power pouring off of Lee. Feeling a welcome surge of strength the Green Beast hurtled down the last valley, racing past the lush scenery without a second look.

Shooting of the valley mouth, Rock Lee saw his final destination. Tanigakure. A ninja stronghold that held secrets that had once even disgusted Akatsuki. Even if they had not hurt Tenten, Lee would have gladly ripped apart the shinobi village for some of the things they had discovered while searching for their goal.

Steeling himself, the intense shinobi realized he had only one true regret. He would never be able to have Gai-sensei present Tenten to him in front of the Hokage. That was not to be his path. He would face his death with such youthfulness as would surely make Gai-sensei proud. Checking his flak jacket one more time to ensure the modifications had survived, Lee smiled. It was time.

"GATE OF SHOCK, OPEN!"

Glowing blue sweat evaporating to form an aura resembling a blue chakra coating covered the Handsome Devil of Konoha as he concentrated on the final gate, located at his heart. Mentally saying farewell to Tenten, Lee threw the limiters wide open.

"GATE OF DEATH, OPEN!"

Boulders levitated while the ground rolled as if caught in the throes of an earthquake. Konoha's premier martial kinjutsu was unleashed once upon a foe, and the earth trembled under its might. A blue pillar of chakra shot upwards, marking out his location for any shinobi foolish enough to try to assault him. Crouching low, Lee marked out his next location: the massive gates of Tanigakure, said never to have been breached since the village's inception.

A low, roaring boom was heard around the valley as the lone Konoha nin flickered across the multiple rivers in his path, shocking the Tanigakure shinobi who had prepared defensive positions. Most never even had time to let loose any attack before Rock Lee was past them. Twin towering waves of earth and water were thrown up by the force of his passage, glowing eyes fixated on the monumental gates. Pushing free from the restraint of gravity Lee assumed his teacher's most notorious move, roaring forth its oft ridiculed name. "DYNAMIC ENTRY!"

The portal which had denied missing nin, invading armies, and even the wrath of a bijuu itself, blew inward from the single attack of one of Konoha's taijutsu masters. Even as the River shinobi turned to stare in shock at the symbol of unbeatable defence, broken as if a toy, a young teen yelled forth a dire warning. "MORNING PEACOCK!"

From the billowing dust clouds surrounding the jagged new hole in Tanigakure's wall a veritable tempest of small fireballs roared forth. Setting ablaze everything within range, the attack served as only a prelude to what was to come. Between the moments of the Kawakage flickering towards the one man invasion and his arrival, a blazing figure leapt high above the chaos unfolding on the ground. Glowing eyes surveyed the destruction he had wrought while also noting that the Kawakage had arrived. It was time to take it to the end game.

Readying his now shuddering muscles, which felt as if molten lead pumped through them, Lee brought his hands into a ready position, forming a seal in the shape of tiger with one. This move he had copied without Gai-sensei's knowledge, and was extremely dangerous. He had only one other attack in his repertoire, and that was his OWN finisher.

Aiming at the accursed building they had been tasked with infiltrating, Lee slammed his fist onto the seal shaped hand, releasing a massive pressure wave. "DAYTIME TIGER!"

In the shape of a roaring tiger, Konoha's deadliest known taijutsu finishing move roared across the darkening sky towards its target. Still accumulating air pressure, the kinjutsu snaked at the Kawakage's building. Smashing directly into the side, the Daytime Tiger exploded into a colossal overpressure bubble, completely obliterating the structure and most of the surrounding area.

Sagging for one moment in overpowering exhaustion, the Handsome Devil left himself open for the barest of moments. With a person who by all rights should Kage of a Great shinobi village, that is simply too much time. Nakai Taniki utilized his signature kekka genkai move in the opening, forming a grooved ice spiral that coursed with wind before hurling the elemental weapon at Rock Lee. Noticing the incoming attack, the Green Beast of Konoha managed to move partially out of the way, but not far enough however.

With a searing flood of agony, Lee felt his left arm detach at the shoulder from the Kawakage's bloodline attack. Screaming in torment, the Green Beast of Konoha fell back from where he had launched Hirudora, the Daytime tiger, at his foes down to ravaged earth below. A titanic spout of dust billowed forth from where the lone shinobi impacted, spreading obscuring dust across the warzone. As Tanigakure shinobi all around stared with trepidation at the now visible crater, all of them hoping desperately that this viridian whirlwind stayed down.

A gasp was heard from many throats as a bandaged hand clasped onto the pit's ledge. Dragging himself free, the taijutsu master pushed himself to his feet, swaying as he did so. Silence ruled the battlefield for a scant instant as blood spurted from the shinobi's shoulder, spattering the ground below.

Feeling the inexorable tug of unconsciousness and with it death, Lee steadied himself. He had to buy just a little…just a little more time. There was his own move he could use. He had tested it with the 6th and 7th gates, but they simply did not provide enough power. Only the 8th and final gate allowed him access to its full potential. Interrupted from his thought by a strident voice, Lee focused on its source.

Him. The Kawakage. The orchestrator of countless crimes, too foul to bring to mind. He had to die, even if no one else did.

"Shinobi, you die here!"

Grinning despite the anguish consuming him, Lee replied with the name of his ultimate technique. "LEAF WHIRLWIND: EVENING DRAGON!"

Launching into a roundhouse kick, Rock Lee fought against the encroaching exhaustion and agony which had been a constant companion since leaving the cave, desperate to finish off all the shinobi possible with the final taijutsu attack he possessed. Leg bursting into a miniaturized inferno, Lee let the stupendous momentum behind his kick spin him in a full circle. Flames which had trailed behind his leg from the sheer friction present in its movement spun in a small ellipse before the surrounding air itself started to catch fire, forming a rising spiral.

Whirring about in a crackling vortex, the blaze about Lee began to draw in objects. First, small flecks of ash and blowing debris were sucked in, but as it steadily grew in size the objects began to grow larger until screaming shinobi began to be pulled in as well. Many escaped by utilizing various ninja arts, but many, many more throughout the village fell prey to the firestorm that blossomed in Tanigakure's heart. At the apex of its rise the inferno briefly gained the snarling head of a blazing dragon, gone as swiftly as it appeared. The blaze greedily spread outwards, leaving charred stone and ash behind it as the flames spread like a flood.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After rendezvousing witha group of Konoha nin near the border with Fire Country, Neji and Tenten gazed back into the darkened distance. A blue beam of light had speared skyward mere minutes ago, followed shortly after by a distant thud of a vast explosion. Waiting silently, they watched the last fight Lee had chosen to take on to protect his teammates. Tenten wept silently as she witnessed the efforts of Lee to keep her safe. No matter the task, he always gave it his all, as was his ninja way. Gasping, she saw a yellow flower blossom across where Tanigakure was known to be located. Lee was not dying without a fight.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Sucking in a breath, Lee knew that his time was about to end. He felt the tug of the endless dark, and he was not afraid. The Handsome Devil had more than a few regrets, but he had still achieved his lifelong goal of becoming a splendid ninja. Tanigakure would be greatly weakened when Konohagakure learned of its crimes, and came to put an end to them as he knew they would. His last youthful dance was complete.

Lying at the ruined gates of Tanigakure, Lee accepted his death. The last thing that he heard before he slipped into the dark was a low pop followed by a raucous female voice.

"DAMMIT LEE!"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Rock Lee stirred from his resting place. For being dead these sheets felt just like the ones Konoha General Hospital used. Come to think of it, why was he hearing the low murmur of voices? The Shinigami was talking? Forcing his eyes open to see where in Kami's name he was, Lee was bewildered to see the irritated face of Tsunade-sama over him.

"Hokage-sama? How…Why?"

Taking a deep breath, Tsunade turned back to Lee, demonic flames licking in the depths of her amber eyes. "Lee, WHAT IN THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"

Mouth hanging open in pure shock, the Green Beast of Konoha had no chance to defend himself as the Legendary Sucker pressed on. "RUSHING OFF INTO AN ENEMY STRONGHOLD BY YOURSELF, UTILIZING A VILLAGE KINJUTSU THAT THEY COULD HAVE RECOVERED FROM YOUR DEAD BODY! Not to mention you made Tenten think you had DIED! You're lucky Neji managed to get in contact with group of Konoha nin carrying transmitters."

"But Hokag-"

"Tsunade-sama?"

Turning to Konoha's weapons mistress, the Slug Sannin crooked an eyebrow at her. "Yes, Tenten?"

Turning a suspiciously glinting eye at Lee, the kunoichi sweetly asked her question. "Is Lee healed enough to take a little bit more damage?"

Cruel smile flickering across her lips, Tsunade pondered for a moment. "Neji, Gai, we have business in the hospital lobby for several minutes. And Tenten?"

Turning sweetly to her superior chirped out a happy "Yes, Tsunade-sama?"

"Face only. His body is still recovering DESPITE Creation Rebirth. I swear that is some sort of record. Anyways, Neji, Gai, let's go. I need you two to distract Shizune long enough to for me to get to the sake."

As the three shinobi strode out the room's door, Maito Gai paused for an instant on his way out, eyes dangerously gleaming. "My most youthful disciple, when you are healed we will be having a long discussion on forbidden techniques and ninja tactics. And Tenten?"

"Yes sensei?"

"Do not injure Lee too harshly. That is my job as his sensei."

"But sensei!"

"You mentioned something you wanting to do something to idiotic, youthful boyfriends. Something that involved a rusty kunai, a fuuma shuriken, and three explosive tags. Why don't you explain it to Lee?" Leaving behind that tidbit he snapped into a Nice Guy pose, teeth gleaming with a force that had earned them a spot as a B-ranked Ninjutsu after managing to blind an Iwa nin. "I am most overjoyed you have lived Lee! We will be back soon to start morning exercises! YOSH!"

The sound of the door slamming shut behind his teacher made Lee realize he was shut in a room, alone with a positively furious Tenten. Turning to meet her eye for the first time since she had been knocked unconscious during the botched intelligence gathering, he saw only what looked like a rushing fist before the object plowed into his cheek. Yes, definitely Tenten's fist. He was dead. Turning to look back at his wildflower, he went to lift his arm to stroke her cheek to try and calm her anger only to have nothing happen. Looking over in shock at his left sleeve, he noticed what was wrong immediately.

His left arm was gone. Not wounded, or cut, but flat out gone. Tenten saw where his shocked gaze had fallen and knew what he was thinking. "Tsunade-sama used her Creation Rebirth technique on you when she arrived in Tanigakure after using the Body Flicker Jutsu from Sunagakure. The Rebirth technique managed to save your life Lee, but your arm wouldn't regenerate."

Strangely smiling despite it all, Lee tuned to face her. "Small price to pay to escape the Shinigami and make it back home."

Tenten sniffed at his typical bravado before touching the scroll on her back. Whipping around a fuuma shuriken, the kunoichi waved it beneath his nose. "If you EVER pull a stupid stunt like that again, I will use a rusty broken kunai that is always in my weapons pouch to remove the source of your usefulness. AM I CLEAR?"

As inappropriate as it was at the moment Lee's mind accidentally let free the thought that had been dominating his mind. "You are more beautiful than a lily when you're angry."

Blushing furiously at Lee's unavoidable nature, she continued her tirade. "That won't get you out of this!"

Remembering the other shocking news Tsunade had given her when Lee had been lying unconscious in the hospital room, she suddenly felt shy. What would he think? Only one way to find out. "Lee?"

Confused by the abrupt change in attitudes by the weapons mistress, his wildflower, Lee chalked it up to being a woman before answering her. "Yes Tenten?"

"Well, Tsunade-sama found something in my post mission checkup."

Now worried, the Green Beast of Konoha, blissfully unaware for the moment of his new Bingo Book designation, looked into her deep brown eyes. "What is it Tenten? What is wrong with my dearest flower?"

Relieved at Lee slipping into his characteristic speech, Tenten decided to give him the news. "I'm pregnant Lee."

Staring at the beautiful kunoichi standing in front of him, Lee's mouth broke into a wide smile as tears began to roll from his dark eyes. "We are going to have a child?"

Feeling her heart surge within her, Tenten replied. "Yes."

Suddenly she was grabbed by an exuberant Lee who cradled her close. Without a single pause his lips found hers, meeting in an overjoyed reunion. Minutes later when the group returned from the lobby, they found Lee still holding his dearest close.

As Gai burst into tears and spouted off about how his disciple was all grown up, Neji crooked a single eyebrow. "Apparently I won't have to follow you for that duel after all."

Smiling, Lee regarded his eternal rival. "I guess it wasn't my fate."

Remembering something, he questioned the smirking Hyuuga. "You still have the box I gave you?"

"Right here in my vest pocket."

"Could you hand it to me then, my eternal rival?"

Taking the bandage-wrapped box from Neji, Lee pulled Tenten even closer. Looking at her again shocked gaze, Lee looked at his surrogate father. "I still have your permission sensei?"

"Of course my youthful student!"

Konoha's Handsome Devil turned to his superior. "Tsunade-sama, do you have any objections?"

Looking deep into her sake bottle, the Slug Sannin considered his question for a moment. "After recklessly endangering yourself, using forbidden techniques, and making a fine mess of everything you want one of my kunoichi's hands. And I thought Naruto was ballsy." Locking eyes with him Tsunade continued. "You had better treat her right Lee."

"Of course!"

Tenten finally turned to the beaming Lee who unwrapped the small black box from its concealing bandages. As she looked at it through the prickle of tears forming, she heard Lee address her. "I had meant to ask this a long time ago, but we had been constantly sent to on missions. I've longed to ask this question for a year now, and now that I've managed to avoid the Shinigami I'm not going to wait any longer. Tenten, will you marry this foolishly youthful shinobi?"

His answer swiftly came in the form of a passionate kiss from the kunoichi in his arm. One thought dominated his mind for the rest of the day, and for that matter, the rest of the life. 'Shinigami-sama, you will have to wait just a little while longer. I have many things to do before we meet again.'

**This oneshot is for Kaze and Kiba for notifying me of my appalling lack of Naruto fanfiction. Thanks for pointing that out to me! **

**This was something I've always wanted to do, a combination Last Stand and Rock Lee showing his inner badass. That and I think that he can't ALWAYS be as dorky as he lets on. My apologies if the fluff wasn't to your liking. Anywho thanks for reading my small tale, and as always any feedback by anybody is more than welcome. See y'all when I submit a tale next. MysticalFett out.**


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